UN Women Account Removes Valentine's Day Illustration After Criticism

UN Women Valentine's Post removed, Social Media argues it was in bad taste.

UN Women had posted a Valentine’s Day illustration on social media which featured a range of diverse couples, and a single black woman hugging herself. The illustration, which has now been removed from the official UN social media account featured three couples holding hands and hugging, leaving one woman excluded. The post was removed after backlash and criticism from Twitter users.

On February 15, 2021 the UN Women Twitter account tweeted the following –

We posted an illustration on Valentine’s Day, depicting love in all its diversity. We listened to what you said in the comments & decided to take it down. UN Women works for gender equality&empowerment of all women & girls regardless of age, race, ethnicity or sexual orientation. pic.twitter.com/GyMt9foapr

— UN Women (@UN_Women) February 15, 2021

While the post was meant to be encouraging, valid points of criticism were raised. Multiple people such as journalist Nadine White tweeted their criticism and objections to the post. A small number of users attempted to defend the post, one of them stating that –

“Y'all it's okay that a black woman can be alone and love herself. She doesn't have to have a partner to be whole and happy. Stop projecting your narrow views about romance/love/happiness on folks who just want to celebrate themselves and their self-love.”

UN Women Valentine's Post removed, Social Media argues it was in bad taste. What are your thoughts?

The same person later changed their narrative and stated that they were equating two separate issues which are not equal, and agreed that the post was ‘tone-deaf and harmful’ for portraying the black woman as the lone person.